Platform - peatland

The National Monuments Service's description

This platform (L 3.1m; Wth 1.6m; D 0.35m) consisted of two layers. The upper layer (D 0.2-0.25m max.) was composed of very irregularly laid brushwood (av. diam. 0.02m; L 0.1-0.7m) that was laid three to four pieces deep and was very fragmentary, with many pieces set at angles of 30-40°. The lower layer was composed of brushwood and a single roundwood (diam. 0.065-0.07m; L 1.95m) orientated NE-SW along its NW edge. The brushwood (diam. 0.01-0.035m) was horizontally but irregularly laid with no clear or predominant orientation. It was laid one to two pieces deep. The handle of an alder bucket or tub and a finely dressed pointed object of blackthorn/sloe were recovered from the lower layer. The wood was in excellent condition with a high number of metal-cut toolmarks present. Wood species identified included hazel, ash, apple-type, alder and birch. Although this feature was rectangular in plan and had a degree of linearity, its position c. 1m south of the S end of a togher (LF004-003----) suggested that it may have functioned as a small platform, and it is believed to be contemporary with an early phase of the togher. It lay 0.2m below another platform (LF004-004----) (Moore and O’Connor 2009a, 27-8, EDC 20).

Compiled by: Mary Tunney based on data kindly supplied by Caitríona Moore.

Date of upload: 26 August 2011